Sunday 15 March 2026
Lectio Divina:*
Meditatio:
“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day” (John 9:4)
Commentary:
What? A blind man presents himself to Jesus in the presence of the disciples. Immediately the question arises: Who sinned? Who was to blame? You see (pardon the pun), a condition like blindness—or poverty, or any of the many burdens known to modern humanity, from divorce to exclusion—must surely be someone’s fault. It couldn’t simply be. It must have a cause rooted in someone’s bad behaviour, or in the failings of their parents. If we are honest, we may even detect traces of this warped thinking in ourselves.
“There are none so blind as those who refuse to see,” the saying goes. The most dangerous form of spiritual blindness is the inability to see what others plainly notice about us. Yet even what others see may be distorted or untrue. Perception is a slippery surface.
The Johari Window, developed by Luft and Ingham, helps us reflect on this:
- What we know about ourselves and others also know (open).
- What we know about ourselves but others do not (hidden).
- What others know about us but we do not (blind).
- What is unknown to us and unknown to others (unknown unknowns).
That final pane is especially significant. What are the intra‑personal and inter‑personal “unknown unknowns”? Only God can reveal them—if we are open to such discovery. These unseen depths might include:
- A hidden capacity or talent submerged for decades.
- An undiagnosed illness or underlying condition.
- A fear, resistance, or phobia we have never named.
- A framework of assumptions long established but out of sync with the truth and goodness within us.
- And much more besides.
The human soul is a mystery. And life becomes a tragedy when the heights of scientific insight, poetic skill, or love remain undiscovered, unused, or unrealised for the good of others. How many lives have been cut short or stunted across the ages?
The story of the healing of the blind man speaks directly to us. “As long as it is day” suggests two things: today is the only certainty we have, and our opportunity to walk in the light—even tomorrow—is time‑bound. Religious people sometimes worry excessively about “life after death.” Jesus invites us instead to attend to “life before death,” to live in the Light he offers here and now. Then death will lead to life, blindness to sight, and “the night will be as clear as the day.”
Each of us has a part to play in this world. We are sent for a purpose, and we are called back for a purpose. As St Paul writes to the Ephesians in today’s second reading: “Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.” In doing so, hidden gold comes to light.
The first reading reminds us:
“The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
All will be revealed in the fullness of time. In the meantime, we have only today—the light of today. Let us do the works God has given us to do, and leave this world more beautiful, more compassionate, and more just.
Oratio
Collect
of the Word for this Sunday (Church of Ireland)
Gracious God, in order that children of
earth might discern good from evil you send your Son to be the light of the
world: as the light of Christ shines
upon us, may we learn what pleases you, and live in truth and goodness; through
the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Footnote:
*
These readings are taken from the Sunday lectionary used in most
Catholic churches. The source is BibleGateway.com:
A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages (using
the New Revised Standard Version - anglicised catholic edition). Psalms in this
Blog are numbered according to the Hebrew (Masoretic) text with the Greek
Septuagint/Vulgate numbering in parenthesis where applicable.
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